Falun Gong performers blocked from Perth Christmas Pageant over ‘political, security issues’

Falun Gong practitioners have been blocked from taking part in this Saturday’s Perth Christmas Pageant after organisers deemed the spiritual movement was too political and could give rise to “security issues” at the event.

In email correspondence seen by WAtoday, the Falun Dafa Association was initially offered a place in the event, run by billionaire Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media, but the invitation was revoked 10 days later.

Seven organisers told the group the pageant was an apolitical event and their presence could lead to the “airing of international political issues”.

“The pageant is not a forum for those involved in such issues to be represented, and it gives rise to potential conflict and security issues for the event,” an email to the organisation on Monday said.

It is the second time the group has been dropped from the event.

On the eve of the 2018 pageant, Falun Gong performers were told they could not join the parade, which they believed was a result of pressure from the Perth Chinese Consulate on Seven West Media organisers.

The group was eventually allowed to perform after an eleventh-hour backflip, but they were banned from wearing anything that could identify them as Falun Gong, including the movement’s motto of “truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance” printed on their drums.

Before 2018, the group had been a regular performer at the pageant, which is one of Perth’s biggest events and attracts crowds of about 200,000 people every year.

Falun Gong practitioner Mark Hutchison was surprised when he received an email from Seven West Media last month informing him the group was approved to participate in the event.

After a follow-up email to ensure the group would be allowed to be introduced as Falun Dafa, another name for Falun Gong, he was told they could no longer be accommodated.

The Perth Chinese Consulate did not answer direct questions over whether it had pressured Seven West Media to remove Falun Dafa performers from the pageant, however, in a fervant response a spokesperson blasted the Falun Gong movement as a malicious, evil “doomsday” cult.

“Western Australian communities need to stay on high alert against Falun Gong, an anti-human, anti-science evil cult as well as an anti-China political organisation,” the spokesperson said.